Goose Island - Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (2010)

Goose Island brewer's notes: "Everyday Goose Island smells the wonderful coffee roasting next to our brewery at Chicago's Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. This world class roaster puts the same passion and skill into their coffee as Goose Island does with its beer. This excellent stout is made with a different coffee from our friends next door each year. With the change in coffee comes a change in the flavor profile, making each release truly unique from the previous years.

Recipe Information:

Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Coffee Stout
Alcohol by Volume: 15%
International Bitterness Units: 60
Color: Midnight
Hops: Willamette
Malt: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, Debittered Black
Coffee: 2010 Release - Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso Beans"

Another bottle I acquired in a trade, Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (BCBCS) is brewed annually since 2010 in the fall/early winter months. It sees mostly Midwest and East coast distribution, and is one of those bottles that people tend to chase down; it flies off the shelves (if it even makes it to the shelf.) I'm fortunate to have a bottle of this, and so happy to finally try it for the first time!

Appearance: Pours opaque, jet black, like motor oil. A lacy tan head of about one finger in height eventually recedes to a thin tan ring, and no lacing is left on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Bold notes of coffee, dark fruit, molasses, and bourbon.

Taste: The bourbon flavor is massive and immediately apparent. Though the coffee is also noticeable, it's also less than I would have expected, especially considering this is meant to be a coffee stout. It's probably from the age -- the coffee has faded over time. There isn't a huge presence from the barrel itself -- not a lot of woody or earthy notes. Other than the bourbon and coffee, there is a sweetness from the roasted malt that tastes like dark chocolate, and molasses like in the nose.

Mouthfeel: Pretty standard on the palate. Rich and creamy, thick and viscous. The huge body carries the big flavors well.

Overall: This was really good, although I wish I hadn't hung onto it for as long as I did. I would have liked to taste more of the coffee. My mistakes aside, this brew nicely balances all of the heavy-hitting flavors and drinks really smoothly, especially considering the high ABV on it. I have a 2012 that hopefully I'll be able to open fresh and get more of the coffee, and I'll definitely be seeking it out in the upcoming years!

4.5/5

Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout (2012)

Founders says:
"What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.

• ABV: 11.2%
• IBUs: 70
• Availability: April"

As with almost anything from the Midwest, I got this in a trade.

Appearance: Pitch black, completely opaque, with a very thin head that doesn't really recede since it was so thin to begin with.

Smell: I smelled, in the following order: coffee, molasses, and bourbon spice. These scents are pretty well blended and balanced together; none dominates any of the others. Apparently, when this beer is more fresh, the coffee is much more dominant.

Taste: A big hit of coffee, followed primarily by notes from the barrel, like oak and vanilla. As the beer warms, a tannin-like note (leather) is more apparent. I don't get much sweetness overall except for the vanilla.

Mouthfeel: Pretty standard for an imperial stout -- fuller bodied, with a smooth and creamy texture that isn't too sticky or oily.

Overall: This beer is pretty hyped up, and it's good, but among what I would consider its peers (Bourbon County Stout, Parabola, etc) this isn't the best in class. I am going to try to get a 2013 bottle and try it again fresh to see how it compares, though. At this age (almost a year) I found the notes from the barrel overwhelmed the rest of the beer.

3.5/5

Weyerbacher - Heresy (2012)

Weyerbacher says: "This incredibly intriguing ale is made by aging our Old Heathen Imperial Stout in oak barrels that were used for making fine Kentucky bourbon! The result is an extraordinary, dark, and mysterious stout whose very essence has been enhanced. The aroma is filled with vanilla, cocoa, and roasted coffee beans.

This silky-smooth brew has notes of oak, whiskey, roasted barley and vanilla that meld together on the tongue to create an incredible sensation."

This 8% Russian imperial stout came to me by trade, since Weyerbacher is out of PA and we don't see their distribution here in California. The brewery says this is released in February, and I'm drinking last year's vintage.

Appearance: Pitch black with a foamy brown head that pours about 1 finger in height and recedes completely away, leaving no lacing or rings on the glass.

Smell: Cocoa, leather, oak, espresso, smoke, in that order. As the beer warms, a touch of alcohol comes out, but it's not too strong.

Taste: Huge notes of oak and chocolate. It's very barrel-forward. There is a bit of coffee on the back of the palate, as well as traces of cherry and vanilla, but mostly I taste the barrel.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with a creamy texture and slight pricks of carbonation. Very smooth and a light finish. This is very nice.

Overall: This is a good-tasting RIS, but I find the complexity a bit lacking. I don't get any booze taste on the palate, which is nice, but the barrel dominates the flavors. Even though I can pick up the notes I expect from a stout, they're not particularly balanced and blended in a way that gives me an "Aha!" moment when I'm drinking. Overall this is a solid effort but not an exceptional one.

3/5

Central Waters - Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (2012)

Of this 11.5% ABV beer, Central Waters says: "A barleywine ale aged for a full year on used bourbon barrels, this beer has flavors of dark fruits and wood, winner of the Gold Medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival." 

I received this from a friend with access to CW's beers, since it's not available in CA. Thank you! I'm drinking the 2012 vintage.

Appearance: Deep, slightly cloudy, copper. A small head pours from the bottle, less than 1 finger in height, and it recedes fairly quickly to nothing and leaves no lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Vanilla, fig, cherry, oak, and a bit of alcohol. Sweetness comes from caramel and brown sugar notes in the malt.

Taste: There's definitely a big kick from the barrel, as spice and vanilla from the bourbon are dominant on the palate. Underneath that is sweetness from dark fruit and the malt. Toward the end, there is a trace of heat from the alcohol, especially as the beer warms. I started sipping at around cellar temp, and the beer is now closer to room temp; the alcohol is much more obvious.

Mouthfeel: Quite full bodied, thick and syrupy, with faint low levels of carbonation and an overall smoothness. The heaviness here contributes to the huge overall impact of the beer.

Overall: This is definitely a good beer and a heavy-hitter, one that I've been sipping slowly like a fine spirit. I'd say generally I like the flavors, which play nicely together, but this isn't a standout barleywine for me. I've had others I much prefer.

3.5/5